Pema Chödrön
Deirdre Blomfield-Brown
1936-present • American
BuddhismTibetan Buddhism
American Tibetan Buddhist nun and author. Resident teacher at Gampo Abbey, known for accessible teachings on working with difficult emotions.
Key Works
- When Things Fall Apart
- The Places That Scare You
- Start Where You Are
103
quotes in library
Quotes by Pema Chödrön
103 quotes“Things are not what they seem. Nor are they otherwise.”
emptinessThe Places That Scare You
“Letting things fall apart is the gateway to genuine sanity.”
groundlessnessWhen Things Fall Apart
“To open the heart is to invite reality.”
opennessThe Places That Scare You
“The trouble is that you do not know how to inhabit your own life.”
presenceWhen Things Fall Apart
“Lean toward the discomfort. It is your teacher.”
discomfortWhen Things Fall Apart
“There is no escape, except into reality itself.”
realityThe Wisdom of No Escape
“Awakening is not always pleasant, but it is always real.”
awakeningWhen Things Fall Apart
“We are all just walking each other home.”
belongingWelcoming the Unwelcome
“In every moment, you can choose tenderness.”
tendernessWelcoming the Unwelcome
“Refuge is the recognition that we are already grounded.”
refugeWhen Things Fall Apart
“To be a warrior is to make peace with not knowing.”
unknowingThe Places That Scare You
“Even our most painful experiences are part of our awakening.”
awakeningWhen Things Fall Apart
“Enlightenment is not a place we reach. It is a way of being awake.”
awakeningThe Places That Scare You
“Compassion arises naturally as the heart opens.”
compassionThe Places That Scare You
“Whatever is difficult — start there.”
practiceStart Where You Are
“In the openness of being, all things are welcome.”
opennessWelcoming the Unwelcome
“To live fully, we must learn to use things and love people, not love things and use people.”
priorityThe Places That Scare You
“Maitri is the doorway. Bodhichitta is the path.”
maitriThe Wisdom of No Escape
“The world is a stage where the play of awakening unfolds.”
awakeningThe Places That Scare You
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